Last week, the City of Whitesboro’s Water Department conducted mandatory testing for lead and copper levels in the municipal drinking water supply. This procedure was part of a routine regulatory compliance with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).
Every three years, TCEQ requires the city to submit water samples from 20 residences. Whitesboro Public Works Director Bradley Williams divides the city into quadrants (using Main and Union Streets as the delineators) and randomly chooses 20 homes to participate in the study. This year, he not only chose 20 different homes from last time, but he also included a few additional older homes who may be at higher risk for water issues.
“TCEQ only requires 20 samples, but we added a few more. We have homes in this town that are more than 100 years old that have galvanized pipes,” Williams said. “I live here. I want to be sure we’re doing our due diligence to make sure our city is the best it can be.”
Last Monday, selected households were provided with a sample bottle along with detailed instructions about how to gather and submit samples. Instructions included avoiding the faucet used for the sample at least six hours prior to sample collection (to ensure the most accurate results). Also, once the sample was collected, participants should label the bottle and leave it at the designated pick-up location.
Participants had one week to submit their samples (as of Wednesday, all but five had been turned in). From there, the city shipped the samples to an independent lab contracted with the TCEQ who will test the water. Results should be available in five to six weeks.
“A result of less than one percent is considered lead-free,” Williams said. “We’ve gotten good results in the past. Once we hear back from the lab, we’ll let the community know about the results.”
Anyone with questions about the water testing can contact the Whitesboro Water Department at 903-564-3311.